Hanafi Maturidism: Trajectories of a Theological Legacy, with a Study and Critical Edition of al-Khahbazi's.

• Author: Eksici, Asdulmecid Yasir

Hanafi Maturidism: Trajectories of a Theological Legacy, with a Study and Critical Edition of al-Khahbazi's Kitab al-Hadi. By AYEDH S. ALDOSARI. Sheffield: EQUINOX PUBLISHING, 2020. Pp. vi + 695. $125, [pounds sterling]95.

The main focus on Islamic scholastic theology (kalam) has been on the development of the two rival traditions Mu'tazilism and Ash'arism and their key figures and sources. Despite the fact that Maturidism is the most widespread tradition of Muslim theology after Ash'arism, it has not received a similar level of attention. This has begun to change, and al-Maturidi's legacy and his followers have been increasingly subject to academic analysis. The present book--based on the author's doctoral dissertation (University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2012)--is a significant attempt to contribute to Maturidi studies by examining Kitab al-Hadi (The guide) authored by a Hanafi Maturidi scholar, 'Umar b. Muhammad al-Khabbazi (d. 691/1292), and its historical context. (Aldosari designates the original title of the book as al-Hadi [pp. 240-43], so I will also refer to the book thus.)

Aldosari divides his work into three main parts, each comprising multiple chapters. Following a short introduction (pp. 1-6) listing the study's objectives, significance, claims, and methodology, the first three chapters delve into issues revolving around the author of al-Hadi. Part two, consisting of four chapters, is dedicated to "the scholastic theological heritage of the Maturidi madhhab up to the writing of al-Khabbazi's al-Hadi and aims to situate the main text of the study and its author in a wider theological legacy of Hanafism and Maturidism. Finally, a critical edition of the text of al-Hadi is presented in the last part.

The first chapter is given over to the discussion of the authorship of al-Hadi, with the aim to verify if the author is 'Umar b. Muhammad al-'Aqili (d. 576/1180) or 'Umar b. Muhammad al-Khabbazi. The first manuscript of al-Hadi that Aldosari discovered, in the catalog of the King 'Abd al-'Aziz Public Library, was ascribed to al-'Aqili, and the same ascription appeared in some other library catalogs. Aldosari found that the source of this information was al-Zirikli's (d. 1976) al-A'lam and 'Umar al-Kahhala's (d. 1987) Mu'jam al-mu'allifin. A large portion of this chapter is spent providing a very detailed investigation of the biography of al-'Aqili and his association with the book, leading one to think that there is substantial controversy about al-Hadi's authorship, whereas these two contemporary biographers simply mixed up two classical Hanafi scholars bearing the same name and patronym, and, more importantly, the manuscripts themselves; classical biobibliographical works indicate that al-Hadi is "undoubtedly authored by 'Umar al- al-Khabbazi" (p. 31).

The second chapter is devoted to the biography of al-Khabbazi. Despite conflicting and missing data in biographical sources, Aldosari provides a comprehensive account of his full name, date of birth and death, students, and writings through an impressive critical survey of a wide range of primary and secondary sources, including those in manuscript. Aldosari questions the only name given in sources as his teacher, the prominent Hanafi jurist 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Bukhari (d. 730/1330), as this claim is first made by Ibn al-Hinna'i (d. 979/1561), who died thirty-eight years after al-Khabbazi (M...